


Hiding in Plain Sight

by RainbowBuddy



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 05:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3966109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowBuddy/pseuds/RainbowBuddy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So what started out as a fluffy crack fic as suggested by the lovely peeps at #ladiesofinterest Mibbit chat turned into a fullblown 5000ish word fic.</p><p>Prompt: How many Shoot writers and blogs can you name drop in one fic?<br/>Answer: 13. See if you can spot them all.</p><p>Critiques are welcome, but please be gentle! This is my first attempt at fanfiction.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Shaw was muttering under her breath as she stalked into the underground subway. Her long coat billowed behind her in a fashion that wasn’t remotely heroic and did not in the slightest bit hint at a flair for dramatics. Shaw stretched gracefully as she strode forward. She was like a wild cat, muscles alert and ready to flee or to strike.

Shaw preferred to strike.

Tossing her phone carelessly on to the desk in front of Finch, Shaw continued, “Ting, Harold? What sort of lameass name is that?”

A chime sounded.

<<TING>>

“I believe the application is named for the alert sound it makes for a successful match, Ms. Shaw.” 

She frowned as she opened the app, and scrolled down with her thumb.

“Zaggitz? Seriously?” Leveling a glare at Finch, she continued, “What kind of people even use this app?”

A slender hand slid around Shaw’s waist causing every muscle to bunch and freeze with tension. A head haloed with soft curls of brown hair came to rest on her shoulder.

“Nerds, Sameen.” How was it possible to imbue such flirtation in two short words? Shaw’s name seemed to roll gently from her tongue like a precious gift.

Shaw violently shrugged Root off her and straightened her clothes.

Studiously ignoring the other woman, Shaw continued reading, “’Always up for some hankie panky’." She swiftly raised one finger at Root, "Speak and you die."

Turning her withering gaze on Finch, Shaw asked, "Another dating profile, really? Harold, you can’t be serious.”

Finch’s gaze did not falter, “I’m afraid so, Ms. Shaw. Now if you will excuse me, Professor Whistler has classes to attend.”

He pulled on his overcoat and quickly paired it with hat and scarf. He whistled for Bear and the former attack dog trotted faithfully to follow at his heel. Finch’s uneven gait only slowed him a little as he made his way towards the exit.

Root grinned at Shaw and perched on Finch’s desk. She looked over her shoulder and called out cheerfully to him, “As the professor, I think you’re supposed to do more than just attend, Harry!”

Shaw’s face did not move and only a slight lightening of her dark brown eyes revealed mild amusement at the other woman’s teasing, but she turned swiftly and yelled, “You still haven’t told me what this has to do with the number, Finch!”

Root’s smile grew, “That’s why I’m here.” She paused and a finger reached out to caress Shaw’s coat, “Well, one of the reasons anyway.”

<<TING>>

Shaw looked away flustered and snatched up her phone.

<<TING>><<TING>><<TING>>

“Goddamn this thing is annoying.” With her thumb she brought up a series of profiles, “Rahlian, Thriany, Kesdax… Jesus where do they come up with these names. Wait a minute, Max...This guy seems normal.”

Shaw opened the profile and her brows raised in surprise, "Scratch that theory. What’s with the weird penguin fixation?"

Root grinned and slid the phone from Shaw’s fingers. Her hand lingered slightly on the shorter woman’s before she pulled away with a smirk. She always seemed to know exactly where Shaw’s limit was. She’d stand there, right on the edge and trace patterns with her fingertips in the invisible boundary. As if the action could not possibly invite swift destruction. Somehow the destruction never seemed to come with Root.

Well, not that kind of destruction anyway.

Swiftly Root connected the phone to Finch’s desktop and brought the app up on the big screen. With a click of the mouse she brought up two familiar faces.

Shaw felt her lip curl and she bit down on a growl rumbling from a dark place hidden deep inside.

“Lambert and Martine,” she all but snarled.

“She managed to intercept some messages from Samaritan to its operatives. Turns out they're using Ting to send coded messages.”

Root typed something too fast for Shaw to follow and a new photo popped onto the screen. Clear green eyes stared out from a slender face framed with blonde waves.

Finch interjected via their ear pieces, “Samaritan and Decima are also using the application as a source to recruit new operatives.”

"Don't be late now, Harry."

"Your concern is touching, Ms Groves." He said sardonically as he clicked his phone off.

Shaw’s eyes narrowed at the photograph, “Her?” She scoffed, “She looks harmless.”

Root smirked, “This from the woman who can’t go on half the rides at Coney Island?” She ignored the glare and continued, “Eveline Hart, 29, single. Hart's a leading figure in the field of biorobotics, Samaritan's latest target and your new best friend.”

Shaw scratched her chin absently, “Why me? Why not send Reese?”

Root’s smile grew wider, almost predatory. “Lambert has already arranged a date with Hart tomorrow night. She thinks they're having a romantic dinner, but Knowing Lambert, it’s more likely to involve a hood, zip ties and an unmarked van.” Root paused and purred, “Of course, some people enjoy that sort of thing.”

Shaw refused to give her the satisfaction of a response and stared fixedly at the numbers photograph.

Eventually Root continued, “Unlike Samaritan, we actually looked at Hart's dating profile.” Her fingers flew across the keyboard and several photos popped up on the main screen. “Turns out, Hart has a type.”

Seven faces stared out of the screen at Shaw. A mixture of men and women, heights, ages and race, they all had one thing in common.

Dark hair and piercing dark eyes.

Shaw raised one perfect eyebrow, “You got all this from her profile?”

Root smirked, “Well, parts of it anyway.”

<<TING>>

“How sweet, you’re a match! Now I just have to arrange a date before Lambert’s and we’re all set.”

“Root.” Shaw gritted her teeth and ground the word out. “I am perfectly capable of arranging my own date.”

Root tilted her head as she looked askance at Shaw, as if to say: Are you though?

Shaw’s hands slid around Root’s neck with a life of their own, but Root’s eyes only brightened. “And we’re done!” She chirruped lightly as though Shaw did not hold her life in her hands.

Root gulped against Shaw’s harsh fingers, “As fun as this is, you need to get ready for your date. It’s in two hours.” Her face arranged itself into a patronising, but sultry smile, “I can help with that too, if you like.”

Shaw let her go with a snarl.

Root yelled after her departing figure, “I can set up dates with the other profiles if you like!”

Shaw did not deign to respond to that.

Root flashed an easy smile, cracked her fingers and gently laid them on the keyboard. She had the air of a concert pianist about to perform their greatest concerto to a crowd of millions. “Hmm, I think I’ll start with Kesdax, you seem friendly.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This ones just a short chapter.

Shaw was sorting through her limited wardrobe, searching for appropriate date attire when there was a knock at the door.

Reese stood there, his lanky figure leaning casually against the door frame. Smiling slyly, he held out a garment bag, “Root said you’d need this.”

Shaw cursed and took the item with ill grace. “Since when were you her delivery boy?”

“Since I knew we’d get distracted if I delivered it in person.” Root’s silken tones caressed from Shaw’s ear piece and she fought the urge to remove it and grind it under her boot heel.

Reese smirked, “Better check it fits,” he said in his soft monotone.

Shaw unzipped the bag, “I am going to kill you, Root.”

She could practically hear Root’s answering grin, “Sounds like fun, but maybe later. We do have a job to do, after all."

Shaw spun on Reese, “Why are you really here?”

Reese gave a barely discernible shrug, “Samaritan is sure to be monitoring the number, I thought you might need back up.”

She scoffed, “Please. I _am_ the back up.”

“You can never be too careful, Shaw.” Despite her antagonising words, Reese remained calm and unmoving. He was like a still lake on a winter’s day. Nothing on the surface and no telling what lies beneath.

Shaw raised an eyebrow, “When did you become such a mother Finch? I’ve got this.”

“She’s right you know,” chimed in Root on an open channel. “Besides, I’ll be there to … keep an eye on them.”

“Root.” Shaw growled, frustrated, “I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Babysitter?” Root’s lips curved in amusement, “I just want a glimpse of your new outfit.”

Shaw glared at Reese, the only available target for her rage, “Did The Machine give her my size?”

“Hardly.” Root scoffed, “You just underestimate me, Shaw. I’ll see you at the restaurant, Sweetie.” She signed off before Shaw could even begin her threat.

Reese cast a sly look at Shaw, “Better get ready, Shaw. You’ll want to look your best for your date.”

“I could kill you with my pinky, John.”

He sobered briefly, "Fusco and I will be nearby if you need someone to run interference.” A shit-eating grin spread slowly across his face, "Besides it sounds like Root be keeping your hands full."

Shaw chucked a one-fingered salute in Reese’s direction as she firmly shut the door in his face. Removing the dress from its protective bag she swore again under her breath, “Goddamn it Root.”

It was short, black and, if Shaw wasn’t mistaken, ever so slightly too small in all the wrong places. Or right places, if you asked Root.

“Goddamn it.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble in paradise?

Root was first to arrive at the restaurant. She looked around the dimly lit space, with its scattered candles, private booths and indoor foliage. Root grinned. "Yeeeeah, this'll do nicely," she murmured to herself. The venue was positively dripping with romantic potential.

Shaw was going to be _livid_.

She tapped her ear piece as she found a seat at the bar where she could watch Shaw’s booked table in the mirror. “Shaw, I’m in position. You're going to _love_ the restaurant."

“I will end you, Root.”

“I look forward to it.” She quipped. Root signalled the bartender, ordered a cocktail and settled in to wait.

Her jaw dropped when Sameen walked in.

There was nothing in the least bit self-conscious about her as she swayed in sensually. She moved like she owned the place, and everyone in it. A sea of heads turned in the wake of her passing and Root would swear on the Bible - not that she believed in it - that it was deliberate when Shaw stretched provocatively while removing her coat and handing it to the waiting attendant. He took a moment to register the coat in his arms before fleeing with it held tightly before him. Root struggled to maintain her composure and grinned as she imagined what the young man was desperately attempting to hide.

The little black dress clung to Sameen’s body like a second skin. Slender straps graced shoulders almost hidden beneath a glorious mass of soft brown hair and dipped to reveal a low neckline. Shapely tanned legs emerged from under the short dress and tapered down to a pair of elegant black heels.

Root bit her lip. It ought to be illegal to look that… _delicious_.

“You do know how to make an entrance, don’t you Sameen.” Root seemed to caress Shaw’s name with her tongue before letting it drop from her lips like a filthy promise.

Shaw ignored her but tossed her hair almost flirtatiously before taking her seat. She flagged down a gaping waiter and ordered a whiskey - neat.

The drink arrived and she sipped it slowly letting its icy heat permeate her bones.

“So where exactly is this number, Root?” She asked as the door opened to reveal the blonde in question. She looked good, thought Shaw, perhaps a little flustered, but then flustered looked good on her too.

Hart paused in the doorway and brushed her blonde hair back off her face. She wore a simple white shirt tucked into a tight black skirt. Her fingers plucked nervously at her leather pouch as she searched the room, looking for Sameen.

Root saw Shaw’s appreciative smile and scowled furiously into her drink. Suddenly this mission wasn’t looking so hilarious after all.

Shaw stood to greet the woman and happened to catch a glimpse of Root’s displeased countenance. A smirk flashed across her lips. Finally, the shoe was on the other foot.

She leaned in to kiss the number’s smooth cheek, “Eveline.” She said warmly, “I’m so glad you could meet me on short notice.”

Hart’s cheeks blossomed slightly and she caught an unsteady breath, “The pleasure is mine, Sameen. But please, call me Evvy.”

“I’d rather call you beautiful.”

Shaw heard a splutter through her ear piece as Root choked on her drink. Her smile grew warmer, “Here,” she said, pulling out the chair smoothly for Hart and allowing her to sit.

The waiter, mildly more composed, returned and took their orders: a salad for Hart and a predictable steak for Shaw.

Root’s grip on her glass grew tighter as the flirtation continued through drinks, entree, a main and into a shared dessert. She forced herself not to stare, to monitor the surrounding space for anything untoward and fought the urge to mute the budding chemistry being replayed in her ear.

Her eye was caught by movement as Hart shifted her seat closer to Sam's. The number leaned in and brushed her lips lightly over Sameen's. Root felt the murmured, "Let's get out of here," settle in the pit of her stomach like a stone.

Suddenly her death grip on the glass was interrupted as it was wrestled gently, but firmly from her clutching fingers.

"You probably shouldn't break the glass, Root. It tends to draw attention." Reese slid into the seat beside her and gave her a thin-lipped smile.

Root stared daggers at him, silently willing him to leave her alone.

He stared blankly ahead and watched with mild curiosity as the number took Shaw's hand and led her from the table.

"They seem friendly." He said with feigned innocence.

A growl slipped out before Root could stop it.

"Hey Root," Sameen's voice interrupted her stand off with John. It was lighter somehow, gentler. "If you and Reese are done gossiping, we've got company."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dun, dun, dun!

“Sam? Where are you?”

Shaw’s reply was muted, “We’re out the back of the restaurant.”

There was an audible click as she shut her ear piece off.

Root and Reese stared at each other for a long moment, then The Machine spoke in Root's ear. "She says there's a back exit through the kitchen."

"Let's go."

***

Shaw recognised the man walking towards them immediately, he called out to Hart but he had yet to spot her new companion. She made an instant decision, murmured something about forgetting her phone and ducked back around the corner.

Luckily Shaw had had the presence to clone Hart's phone during their - surprisingly pleasant - dinner date.

"Eveline!" Lambert greeted her warmly. A seemingly genuine smile spread across his handsome face, "I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow, what a fortuitous surprise."

"Oh, ah. Jeremy. I didn't expect to see you here."

Shaw smirked to herself over Hart's obvious discomfort. "Looks like lover boy struck out this time," she murmured with a grin.

"If you aren't busy perhaps we could get a drink?" Lambert was saying.

"Um, I don't think that's a good idea," Hart replied, "I - oh this awkward - I'm ever so sorry, Jeremy. I'm on a date."

"A date?"

"Yes, I was going to call and cancel. I'm really sorry, but you know how it is. We're really hitting it off and -"

"I'm sorry," he interrupted her, "a date? Even though we had plans tomorrow?"

"Yeah, well, I mean you seemed really nice - and insistent - but you're not really my type to be honest and well..."

Shaw bit back a laugh. God, this was priceless. She made a mental note to tell Root about it later, but Hart's shriek interrupted that thought.

Shaw barreled around the corner as Lambert, cursing, attempted to manoeuvre an unwilling Evvy into a black SUV.

Sameen launched herself at Lambert.

***

Reese and Root moved swiftly through the busy kitchen, adroitly dodging the harassed staff who were too rushed off their feet to do more than glance curiously at the pair.

Suddenly Root froze as The Machine squawked in her ear, "John!" She shouted. With a strength surprising in one so slender, Root pushed John forward as a knife embedded itself in the wall where his head had been just moments before.

Kitchen staff scattered.

Out of the chaos of their rushed departure stepped Martine. She was like ice, cold, calculating and unflinching. She smiled dangerously and a second knife darted in her fingers as she toyed carelessly with it.

"Root?" John asked darkly.

"Help Shaw."

She did not spare him a glance as she swept up the still juddering knife and turned to face her nemesis.

"Martine."

"Ms. Groves."

With a casual flick of her wrist, she caught the handle of a nearby frying pan and hurdled it at the operative. "My name is Root."

The declarative statement was met with a clang as Martine snatched a drying wok from its resting place and used it to deflect the lethal combination of hot oil and metal. Before she could make another move, Root was on her, slashing violently.

Martine parried with the wok and slammed it hard into the taller woman's chest. Root staggered backwards, almost losing her grip on the knife.

Samaritan's operative moved forward with deadly intent, her knife flashing as she lunged for Root's chest, but the other woman fell back before her onslaught. Root regrouped and reversed her grip on the blade so that it protected her wrist from danger.

The two women slashed and parried in glittering dance of death. Martine had the edge in skill and speed, but Root made up he lack in height, unpredictability and a willingness to throw herself in harm's way. She proved this by lunging across an open flame to strike at Martine's unprotected side.

The operative cursed as a ribbon of blood spilled from her skin and began to flow freely down her arm. Root grinned, triumphant at gaining first blood.

Martine snarled, but then she regained her composure with a smirk, "I was fond the of that shirt."

She forced Root back again with a quick slash, "But no matter, perhaps I can convince your little girlfriend to fix it for me once she's contained."

Root let out a low animalistic growl. Shaw couldn't, wouldn't, ever be contained. It would be like caging an animal.

"She's outnumbered, you know. Her and your hulking guard dog." Panting slightly from exertion as they battled, she continued, "He's getting a bit old, I think. And do you know what happens to old dogs?"

Martine grabbed Root by the colour of her shirt and pulled her close. Before her blade could bite into Root's neck another blade answered, blocking the strike and holding as the two women struggled.

Speaking directly into Root's face, her unflinching eyes never moving, Martine breathed, "They get put down."

Root pushed her backwards and Martine stumbled slightly on the forgotten wok. Pushing her advantage, Root lunged.

***

Reese could hear the sound of fierce battle behind him but he moved into the alleyway without sparing a glance for his sometimes companion.

As he stepped out into blinding sunlight he counted three visible operatives with guns drawn on Shaw as she grappled with Lambert. Lambert was doing an admirable job managing to hold Shaw off and a fourth operative stepped in to pull the struggling number from the fray.

Without waiting to see if the operatives could clear shot at Shaw, Reese fired three times in quick succession. The operatives dropped like flies, if flies had bullet-ridden knee caps.

Reese continued moving, searching for cover and ended up hunkered behind an ostentatious yellow convertible.

Shaw interrupted her silent struggle with a knee to the family jewels, with Lambert distracted, she grabbed Hart's arm in a steel grip. The operative charged with holding her pulled back, expecting resistance but Shaw pushed the woman into him and he stumbled clear. Before he could take another step, Shaw knocked him outwits a roundhouse kick to the jaw.

Hart stared at her in horror but before anything could be said an unseen operative opened fire on them. Shaw pushed the other woman into cover beside John and ducked down beside her.

"Reese." She said, greeting him calmly.

"Shaw."

"You couldn't have picked better cover?" She asked as bullets whizzed overhead.

"I was a little busy."

She grinned as a bullet bit deep into the hood of the car, "I hope the owner's got insurance."

Suddenly Shaw stilled, "Where's Root?"

"We had a little run-in with our favourite Samaritan operative in the kitchen."

"Martine," snarled Shaw.

"Careful, Shaw." Reese said with laconic humour, "Anyone would think you're worried."

"I. Don't. Worry."

"Sure." He said as they moved together at some unspoken signal to return fire at the Samaritan operatives closing in on them.

***

Root could feel her heart pounding so fiercely she feared it might break. She gasped for breath that would not come easily and struggled against Martine's weight.

The Samaritan operative had surprised her, throwing her over her shoulder and pinning the taller woman to the ground.

Both women had dropped their knives in the subsequent struggle and Martine currently had both hands wrapped around Root's neck. Root spared a vital millisecond to consider the fact that it wasn't nearly as pleasant as when Shaw did it.

Her vision was growing blurry as colour drained from her surroundings, painting the kitchen in grayscale. Sparks swirled in Root's thoughts as she struggled for breath, struggled against Martine.

The Machine squawked once in her ear.

Root's scrabbling hand left Martine's face where it has been clawing weakly. It searched blindly across the floor, reaching, yearning.

It curled around a cable.

Root pulled and a rice cooker tumbled from the counter to crash on Martine's back, sending her sprawling.

Root scrambled up first and kicked the other woman hard in the face. She paused to grin at the electrical cable still clutched in her hand."Thank God for that Health and Safety error," she quipped.

Root reached into her leather jacket and pulled out a pistol. She levelled it at Martine who was crouched before her. She made something of a piteous sight; what with the cuts, blood and rice covering her. Root flicked the safety off.

Martine gazed up at her without fear.

Root's finger tightened on the trigger -

“G0. nØW. aSs3T. D3aTH. 1MmiN3nT.”

Root brought the butt of the pistol down hard and did as her God ordered.

***

"Goddamn it, Reese. I am not stitching you up again."

"I didn't ask you to, Shaw." He said calmly as if blood were not spreading from the shoulder of his now-useless arm. With his other hand he picked up his fallen gun and attempted to fire at another operative. It hit the man high in the chest.

"What? We're ignoring the no-kill order now?"

Reese had the grace to look shame-faced, "I was aiming for his knee."

Suddenly Root was beside them, she spared a quick glance at the cowering number and extricated John's gun.

"I guess I'm a little rusty," he said.

"Rusty?" Shaw snapped, "Soon as we're done here I'm taking you to a firing range. We need to work on your off-hand shooting." She spared a rare almost-smile at Root, "It's about time you got here. Where's Martine?"

"Hopefully unconscious."

Root popped up from behind the battered convertible and let off a series of bullets from both guns. Groans of pain welcomed her efforts as she ducked back down. Suddenly a pistol whipped across her face drawing a trickle of blood from her forehead.

Martine held Hart in a death grip. A now bloodied gun barrel was pressed to the woman's head, staining her blonde hair a sticky red.

Root grunted, "Clearly I didn't hit you hard enough."

"Lambert," snapped Martine. He appeared beside her. Shaw was pleased to see that the man was still walking funny. He trained a gun on her. Three other operatives appeared, all with guns drawn.

Martine signalled and the black SUV pulled up behind them. She forced Hart into the back with a vicious twist of the woman's golden hair and her men followed. Her gun's line never faltered as she leaned out the window.

"I'll be seeing you."

The SUV accelerated away from them with a screech of tyres.

"They'll wreck their gearbox that way," said Shaw mildly.

"Now what?" asked Reese.

Root turned her head and stared deep into the lens of a camera positioned above the restaurant's rear entrance. To the casual onlooker it would appear as though the woman were talking to the sky as she calmly said, "A little help, please?"

A red blinking light was Root's only reply, but she seemed satisfied. "Come on," she told her companions, "We're going to need a car."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never really written fight scenes before so feedback would be awesome :)
> 
> Note from Zaggitz: "Seamen launched herself at Lambert." Best typo ever.


	5. Chapter 5

One swiftly hot-wired car later they were in hot pursuit. The delay had taken less than five minutes but the trio knew that five minutes was enough time to change the world.

Root suddenly grinned. "Pull over up ahead."

A crash site greeted them.

The black SUV had clearly slammed into some bollards as an automated road block was triggered. Shaw grinned widely, "Your Machine blindsided them." She leapt from the car and approached the wreckage. Leaning in, she pulled Eveline from the wreckage.

Shaw wiped a trickle of blood from the blonde woman's forehead with not-ungentle hands. She attempted to assess the woman's condition, but Hart batted her hands away angrily.

"Who the hell are you people!?" She shouted.

Reese calmly flashed his shield at her. "I'm Detective Riley. If you'll come with me, Ms Hart, you've had a bit of a shock."

"Wait," said Shaw, "Let me check her for injuries."

"Get your hands off me!" Shrieked Hart.

Root gazed on with amusement, "Trouble in paradise?" She murmured softly.

"These people were trying to abduct you," said John, reasonably. "We stopped them. Come on, I'll have my partner pick us up and take you to the ER. Once you've been checked out we can talk about keeping you safe."

"Speaking of..." murmured Shaw. She leaned back into the wreckage, but Lambert and Martine were gone. "Damn. They've left us a few lackeys as a parting gift."

"I'll have some unis pick them up." Reese tapped his ear piece. "Fusco."

"Hey partner, where you at?" asked the rotund detective.

"I need you to come pick us up," John relayed the directions to Detective Fusco and he soon arrived on the scene.

Shaw looked up from where she was sitting. She was cleaning her gun with a rag torn from the shirt of one of Samaritan's goons. Root was hovering beside her looking pleased with herself.

"Hey Cocoa Puffs," he greeted her, "why is that I only ever see you at scenes of mayhem?"

Root looked about the wreckage of the car and the ensuing chaos it had created and simply shrugged.

"Nice of you to join us, Lionel." Shaw drawled. "You missed all the action."

"Yeah, yeah," he snapped, "I just figured that with Wonder Boy over there and Mrs and Mrs Nutbar on the case, none of you would need my help."

"Mrs and Mrs -?" snarled Shaw, but Reese quickly ushered Hart into the car and grabbed Fusco by the elbow, escorting hi quickly away from the seething Persian.

Root laughed when she heard Fusco offer the number a chip from a half eaten bag of Fritos, clearly he had had better this to do than help them.

Sameen climbed to her feet, dusting off her dress. It was miraculously untorn from the evening's activities, but perhaps a little dirty. She turned and started to walk away.

Root silently fell into step with the shorter woman, but eventually could not resist.

"Such a pity your date was cut short. It seems a waste of a good outfit."

"I dunno," Shaw said, side-eyeing her partner. "The night's still young."

Root beamed furiously, but her momentary ecstasy was cut short.

"I was thinking of hitting up one of the Ting users. Zaggitz and I kind of hit it off."

The smile slipped from Root's face and she leaned into the tiny Persian as they walked. Shaw allowed it and the hacker adroitly plucked Shaw's phone from her pocket. Then she turned and threw it onto the middle of the highway where it was instantly crushed by a B Double.

"A little melodramatic, don't you think?"

"No. But I guess you'll just have to spend the night with me."

"And how do you figure that?"

"Good luck getting home without your phone or wallet."

Root and Shaw stopped to smirk at each other. They both knew that Shaw was perfectly capable of finding her own way home, penniless or not.

Shaw turned to continue walking and Root fell back into step. Sameen bumped almost imperceptibly against the taller woman's side, "Alright. But I am not staying in a motel."

"Yes, Sameen." said Root.

"And you're sleeping on the floor."

"Whatever you say, Sweetie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you spot all the name drops?
> 
> tingggmusic, halfabagoffritos, zaggitz, kesdax, thriany, rahlian, mlamachine (Max), talking2thesky, theblondeq, ricecooker (different username on Tumblr), mother-finch, momentary-ecstasy, yeah-thistle-do-nicely


End file.
